Why the Monterey Park Farmers Market is no more

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State’s food stamp program is offering incentives to get people to buy fresh foods at Farmers Markets, and Monterey Park Farmers Market is part of the program, Friday, April 25, 2014(Photo by Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News)

It wasn’t just bad luck that Friday the 13th was the last Monterey Park Farmers Market for the foreseeable future.

After a dispute over costs, the city decided in March to terminate its contract with operator Sprouts of Promise and begin a search for a replacement. The April 13 farmers market was the last to take place on South Ramona Avenue between City Hall and Bruggemeyer Library.

“If the city of Monterey Park remains committed to having a farmers’ market, why are they shutting this one down before they have another operator lined up?” Sprouts of Promise said in a statement. “All that does is hurt you (our farmers and vendors) and our lower-income community members.”

The City Council’s decision came down to cutting costs. In August, the council decided to move the farmers market from its City Hall-adjacent location to George Elder Park, 1950 Wilcox Ave, saving $700 weekly in costs, including setup and cleanup, Recreation Superintendent Robert Aguirre said.

The city then passed on those costs to Sprouts of Promise, even though it had never charged Sprouts of Promise previously, Aguirre said.

When Sprouts of Promise officials told the city they couldn’t afford the fee — $10,400 per year — the city offered to halve the cost to $100 per week, or $5,200 annually, which the nonprofit again said it was unable to pay, Aguirre said.

City Councilman Hans Liang said at the time he found it unreasonable Sprouts of Promise couldn’t afford $100 per week.

“It’s a challenging question — we want to provide activities for the community, but at what cost?” Liang said during the August meeting. “We want a vendor with whom we can have a partnership-type agreement in good faith, with someone who can chip in to clean up. That’s reasonable.”

Aguirre said that the city could seek bids from companies that operate farmers markets and have one ready to take over operations within three months.

According to its statement, Sprouts of Promise could have afforded to pay $50 per week, which the council discussed as a possibility in March, but that offer was never officially made.

“The city didn’t want to have to spend anything for this community event,” the statement read.

Mayor Pro Tem Peter Chan said that he has attended the farmers market several times during its six years in the city and has seen a decline in attendance. He said he would have considered subsidizing Sprouts of Promise if the farmers market was performing well.

“If a company can’t come up with $100 per week, it’s not a successful company,” Chan said. “We can’t subsidize a company forever, especially when it’s not doing well.”

Christopher Yee is a reporter for the Pasadena Star-News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune covering cities in the west and central parts of the San Gabriel Valley. He grew up in Monterey Park and studied journalism at East Los Angeles College and UC Berkeley. You may find him at Dodger Stadium or at the Staples Center for L.A. Kings games.

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